Under the Open Sky (Montana Heritage Series) (63 page)

             
“I’m sure I must have driven him just about nuts! My daddy owns the spread adjacent to here to the north and I found every excuse I could to be here. My daddy finally caught on and says to me ‘Cassia, girl; that man is in love with someone, deeply in love and for whatever reason can’t be with her. Give the man his peace.’ I was angry at Daddy at first but then I was riding one day and Cade was sitting on the bank of one of the streams. He was studying a picture when I approached. I could tell it was of a woman so I asked him: ‘Who is she?’ He handed me a picture of you and says, ‘That’s my Manny; I’m trying to earn her dad’s respect so I can see her and do things right.’ I knew then that it was hopeless,” Cassia was smiling at her now.

             
“It was just after that that Ben came to my rescue after a riding accident; it was the beginning of something very special for us and I am so glad things worked out the way they did.”

             
“You seem very happy,” Amanda noted.

             
“I am,” Cassia nodded, then seemed to study her a moment. “That man loves you, Manny. He has worked so hard the last few years that we all feared he would make himself sick. Ben says he kept saying he had to have something to offer you and wanted your father’s respect. He certainly earned Ben’s and Mr. Carter’s. And my Daddy’s and that isn’t easy.”

             
“My daddy was mad at him because of me and only because of me and I suppose had we been more up front with my father as Cade requested perhaps we could have avoided this mess. Then again, maybe not. Had my father told me not to see him it wouldn’t have stopped me,” Amanda shrugged. She had asked herself many times if things would have been different if she had let Cade approach her father right after he came home from college as he had wanted to. There was no way of knowing now.

             
“Hard to say about fathers,” Cassia grinned. “I was afraid Daddy wasn’t going to be happy about Ben and me but he handled it pretty well. Why he thought I would want to move off to the city for a career man is beyond me,” Cassia rolled her eyes; Amanda laughed.

             
“My daddy had it is head that I didn’t need to be a rancher’s wife. Men can be so illogical,” Amanda was still chuckling.

             
“Most folks around here are going to be quite pleased to see you,” Cassia informed Amanda. “There will be a few ladies who aren’t quite so pleased.”

             
“Oh?” Amanda frowned at her.

             
“Cade has a few admirers and they took his recent hand full of dates with Carey as a good sign. He’s driven them nuts for years; they aren’t going to be happy to see you.”

             
“Oh,” Amanda smiled and shook her head. “I think we ran into a couple of them last night. He’s never had a shortage of admirers.”

             
“No, I guess not,” Cassia smiled back. “I think I’m going to like having you around.”

             
“I think I’m going to like having you around too,” Amanda admitted.

             
“Mommy,” Cadey-Lynn came rushing through the door to climb into her mother’s lap.

             
“Hey, Baby,” Amanda snuggled her daughter close.

             
“I recognized you from your picture and the moment I saw Cadey-Lynn I knew Cade had been missing more than he bargained for,” Cassia told her. “She looks so much like him it isn’t funny.”

             
“I know,” Amanda acknowledged.

             
“If this one is a boy I hope he looks just like his daddy,” Cassia rubbed her rounded abdomen.

             
Amanda found herself daydreaming about a couple more little ones who looked like their daddy and smiled; she wanted that very much.

____________________________________________________

              Amanda rode beside Cade, her hand in his. It had been a relaxed trip so far, but the closer they got to her father’s ranch, the more nervous she became. When they stopped in town to gather boxes for Amanda’s things, they caused a stir.

             
“Amanda! Cade!” Lisa called as they were passing the maternity store where she was now a manager. “I am so glad you found him, Mandy. It’s good to see you, Cade.”

             
“Thanks,” Cade smiled, though his expression suggested he didn’t quite recall her from school.

             
“What’s next for you two?”

             
“We’re getting married,” Amanda shared.

             
“Congrats. I’ve got to get back in here but I was so happy to look up and see you together that I had to say hi.” Lisa waved and slipped back into the store. They were stopped several more times before they ever reached their destination.

             
“Did the whole town know you were looking for me?” Cade asked Amanda as they put the boxes in his truck.

             
Amanda grinned. “Pretty much.”

             
“Wow, I feel a bit like the prodigal son,” he quipped.

             
“Now, if my dad would share that sentiment it would be great,” Amanda mused. Another twenty minutes and they were turning into the ranch drive.

             
“Nervous?” Cade asked her when she blew out a sigh.

             
“A little,” she admitted.

             
Cade pulled the truck to a stop in front of the house and hopped down to help Amanda with Cadey-Lynn.

             
“Grandpa!” Cadey-Lynn leapt from the truck and raced toward him where he stood on the porch. “We found my Daddy!”

             
“Hello, Little Lady, why don’t you go tell your Aunt Naomi,” Sterling ruffled his granddaughter’s hair. Cadey-Lynn slipped around him and inside the house.

             
Amanda watched her father’s gaze land on them and took a steadying breath.

             
“Well, Amanda, I see you found him,” Sterling, his expression drawn, spoke.

             
“Yes. We’ve come to tell you that we’re getting married. We aren’t asking for your permission but we would like your blessing and I want you to give me away,” Amanda informed him.

             
“So am I supposed to dance a jig now and be happy?” Sterling demanded.

             
“You could
try
being happy for me and Cadey-Lynn; we’re both very happy, Daddy.”

             
“Are you, Mandy Lynn?”

             
“Yes, Daddy I loved him then and I love him now.”

             
“So I am supposed to change my mind about this just like that?” Sterling demanded of her.

             
“Sir,” Cade stepped forward.

             
“Let her answer; I’ll talk to you in a moment.”

             
“You could try admitting that he has done everything you’ve asked since then to prove himself and that you are simply being a stubborn ass!” Amanda accused.

             
“You watch your language young lady!”

             
“Like you and Trent do?”

             
Her father’s gaze narrowed.

             
“When and where is this wedding?”

             
“Next Saturday; I guess at the church if it’s available, we want to keep it simple.”

             
“I suppose you could have it here,” her father growled, his brows still drawn.

             
“Not if you’re going to be a grouch about it!”

             
Sterling turned to Cade, his expression still dark. “Are you sure you want this sassy thing?”

             
Cade chuckled. “Yes, sir, she can sass me every day for the rest of our lives,” Cade responded.

             
“I guess you can have her then; I’m not sure anyone else would put up with it,” Sterling told him. “And you’ll have it at the ranch and I will give you away. And seeing as how you don’t need or want my permission I suppose you can have my blessing.”

             
“Thank you, Daddy,” Amanda said around tears.

             
“What for? You’re marrying a rancher to suffer through feast and famine and to work sun up to sun down; I don’t see why you are so happy.”

             
“I am marrying a good man and I am going to stand by him through the good and the bad just like Mama stood by you,” Amanda countered.

             
“Your mama was a good woman, you remind me of her a whole lot, Mandy-Lynn; a whole lot,” Sterling’s voice was tight.

             
“Thank you, Daddy. I wish I could have known her.”

             
“I guess I should apologize to you two. I was angry, very angry the night I sent you away. I always knew someone would come along one day and steal my daughter away. I just wasn’t ready for it or for the way I found the two of you. I lose sight sometimes of the fact that she’s not ten anymore.”

             
“I owe you an apology as well, Mr. Jennings. I know Mandy was nineteen but she was still your daughter and you were still my employer,” Cade admitted.

             
“Right,” Sterling nodded. “Apology accepted.” Sterling looked between them a moment.

             
“So I guess my little girl and my grandbaby are moving off nearly five hours away, huh?” her father addressed her. Amanda nodded. “Well, I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Come on in, tell me what we need to do for this here wedding,” Sterling jerked his head toward the house. Amanda climbed the steps first and kissed her father’s cheek.

             
“Thanks, Daddy,” she whispered.

             
“Sir,” Cade offered his hand.

             
“Cade,” her father accepted his hand and nodded.

             
Amanda smiled at the two of them before continuing inside.

             
“Mandy,” Naomi moved to hug her.

             
“Hi,” Amanda grinned.

             
“So the prodigal returns; how are you, Cade?” Naomi shocked everyone by hugging him.

             
“I’m doing very well these past few days. How are you, Naomi?”

             
“I’m good.”

             
“Thank you, by the way,” Cade told her.

             
“You’re welcome.”

             
“Hey, Cade,” Trent entered the kitchen and hugged his friend. Amanda seated herself at the table and they were soon planning a small intimate wedding under the large spreading oak tree between the main house and the cabin. After they had finished, Amanda and Cade pulled down to the cabin to start packing; Cadey-Lynn asked to stay and play at Aunt Jenny’s.

             
“Who knew I had so much stuff?” Amanda stared at it in disgust.

             
“A lot of it’s Cadey-Lynn’s,” Cade noted as he packed more movies.

             
“I know. She’s maybe a little petted,” Amanda admitted.

             
“So she should be,” he grinned at her. Amanda resumed working and paused a few minutes later to glance out the window.

             
“Wow, except for college I’ve lived on this land my whole life,” Amanda mused aloud.

             
“You’ll miss it,” Cade acknowledged as he slid his arms around her.

             
“I will, but I missed you more; I know that first hand,” she reminded him.

             
“Let’s go for a walk, Manny. We’ve been working for hours now; we could use the break.”

             
“Okay,” she agreed. The two of them walked hand and hand and ended up in the barn by default. Amanda greeted the horses and looked around.

             
“I have a lot of memories in here,” she mused.

             
“Me too. You seemed to find your way out here a lot.”

             
“I always enjoyed coming out here but after you arrived I had a whole new reason to come out here. You were in here working so often,” Amanda shrugged.

             
“I enjoyed you coming to visit me,” Cade assured her.

             
“Even if I did throw myself at you and almost get you in trouble?”